DPD expansion to deliver 1,500 jobs

It is proposing a new £100m sorting hub in the East Midlands and will spend a further £12m building 10 new depots over the next 15 months as it looks to meet growing demand for its service from online retailers.

The business, based in Smethwick in the West Midlands and is a subsidiary of French-owned La Poste, said it has clinched £70m of new business as a result of its Predict service, which uses GPS technology to provide customers with a one-hour delivery window.

The announcement comes days after Royal Mail said it would create some 1,000 jobs over four years as part of a £75m investment in its express parcels business.

DPD said 500 of the jobs would be created next year. It will also spend £20m upgrading its existing network of 40 locations and invest in new technology for drivers, as well as in security and its IT infrastructure.